Ocean And Coast

Image: Beach in Santa Monica, CA by Johnny Chau / Unsplash

Nearly 75 percent of California’s population lives in coastal counties and along the State’s iconic 1,100 miles of mainland coastline and the San Francisco Bay’s additional 500-mile shoreline. The ocean and coast contributed $41.9 billion to the state’s GDP, provided $19.8 billion in wages and salaries, and supplied 515,465 jobs in 2014. These figures demonstrate how much the people and economy of California rely on the coastline and the ocean. The short- and long-term risks from climate change, such as sea level rise, coastal erosion and beach loss, and ocean acidification will continue to affect a vast number of people and industries. California is one of the world leaders in both addressing climate change and protecting our coastal and ocean habitats and resources. Because of the ever-growing value of California’s coastal areas and our dependence on the coast and ocean for recreation, food, and critical infrastructure such as ports, airports, and power plants, it is important to assess how climate change will impact our ocean and coasts and how to best anticipate, plan, and prepare for these changing ocean conditions.

Sea-Level Rise

Sea-level rise is an immediate and real threat to lives, livelihoods, transportation, economies, and the environment in California. The vast majority of California’s population lives in coastal counties and will directly experience the effects of sea-level rise on their homes, roads, public services, and infrastructure. More frequent and chronic flooding and erosion are inevitable and inland populations are not immune from sea-level rise. Many of the facilities and much of the infrastructure that support California’s ocean economy, as well as the State’s many miles of public beaches, lie within a few feet of the present high tide line and therefore are at risk from future sea-level rise and coastal storm events as a result of a changing climate.

Ocean Acidification

Ocean acidity has increased by 30 percent and is expected to double over pre-industrial levels by the end of this century, as the ocean absorbs one-third of the carbon dioxide generated by human activities. Extensive field studies conducted worldwide already show significant impacts on fisheries and marine ecosystems from ocean acidification, which will worsen in the future. Continued scientific research is critical to advance understanding of the causes, extent and impacts of ocean acidification. Of equal importance is the development and implementation of actions to help reduce the causes of ocean acidification and protect coastal communities and the marine ecosystems from the impacts of an acidifying ocean.

Warming Ocean Temperatures

In addition to contributing to sea level rise, increasing ocean temperatures also has implications for ocean processes and marine ecosystems, including coastal upwelling, ocean productivity, and species distributions and abundances. This can affect the health of fisheries, the occurrence of harmful algal blooms and disease in marine organisms, and the spread of marine invasive species, and thus impact the ocean resources upon which California’s population depend. Therefore, understanding changing ocean temperatures and their effects, along with the effects of other changing ocean conditions, is needed in order for California to plan, prepare, and manage for these potential impacts.

Integration with Assembly Bill 2516 (AB2516)

Passed in 2014, AB2516 (Gordon) called for the California Natural Resources Agency, in collaboration with the Ocean Protection Council (OPC), to conduct biannual surveys of sea-level rise planning information to catalog California’s efforts to prepare for rising seas. To improve accessibility and usefulness of these resources to support sea-level rise adaptation and resilience, OPC has partnered with OPR to host the AB2516 resources in the Adaptation Clearinghouse. Resources collected as part of this survey include studies, vulnerability assessments, and local coastal programs, among others. Resources gathered through future surveys, as required by AB182 (Berman), will also be included in the Clearinghouse.

Goleta Slough Management Committee. 2015

FloodingSea level rise

Plan or strategy

This website provides access to the various chapters of the 2015 update to the original 1997 Goleta Slough Management Plan. The plan assesses vulnerability and risk to both environmental and human resources from the impacts of sea level … rise. It also recommends policies and potential adaptation strategies that integrate the interests of multiple stakeholders. This report could be used to guide further local planning.

Crescent City Planning Department. 2011

FloodingSea level rise

Plan or strategy

Crescent City added references to sea level rise in the 2011 update to their Local Coastal Program (LCP). This LCP requires that residential and commercial analyze potential coastal hazards associated with sea level rise between 3 and … 6 feet. These developments must then include this analysis in their final designs.

City of Goleta. 2015

FloodingSea level rise

AssessmentPlan or strategy

The 2015 City of Goleta Coastal Hazards Vulnerability and Fiscal Impact Report focuses on sea level rise as the City’s greatest climate change impact. The report develops a vulnerability assessment based on different sectors including land … use, coastal armoring, oil and gas, hazardous materials, etc. In addition to the vulnerability assessment the report estimates fiscal impacts to the city from sea level rise and its associated coastal impacts – erosion, tidal inundation, and flooding. In Section 7, the city proposes specific regulatory changes it could make to address these threats.

City of Malibu. 2002

FloodingSea level rise

Plan or strategy

In 2002 Malibu amended its Local Coastal Program (LCP) directly through its local use plan. The plan requires new development on beaches or bluffs to create an impact report that includes future sea level rise projections. The plan also … states that one of the cities intended policies is to develop a strategy to address the issue of sea level rise.

City of Point Arena. 2006

FloodingSea level rise

Plan or strategy

In 2006 Point Arena amended its Local Coastal Program (LCP) directly through its general plan. The City added language to its health and safety section. It now requires the siting and design of new shoreline development and protection … structures consider anticipated changes in sea level

City of Seaside. 2013

FloodingSea level rise

Plan or strategy

In 2013 Seaside amended its Local Coastal Program (LCP) directly through its local use plan. Changes were primarily made to the natural hazards section of the plan. The city aims to help homeowners elevate their homes. Additionally the … city states its intent to develop a more rigorous vulnerability assessment.

City of Solana Beach. 2014

FloodingSea level rise

Plan or strategy

In 2014 Solana Beach amended its Local Coastal Program (LCP) by changing specific policies and objectives to begin to address sea level rise. This LCP requires that wetland buffers account for and adapt to sea level rise projections. … Similarly the siting and design of new shoreline development must account for future changes in sea level.

County of San Diego. 2018

FloodingSea level rise

Plan or strategy

This website provides summary information on San Diego County's multi-year effort to update its Local Coastal Program (LCP). The site includes links to a draft of the updated LCP. This draft LCP includes development restrictions and setbacks … in current and future floodplains.

Monterey County. 2012

FloodingSea level rise

Plan or strategy

In 2012 Monterey County amended the Del Monte Forest segment of its Local Coastal Program (LCP) directly through the Land Use Plan. The plan requires that new development be both sited and designed to avoid future impacts from sea level … rise. It also establishes the policy that shoreline protection should be a last resort and relocation should be a priority approach for existing development.

Humboldt County. 2014

FloodingSea level rise

Plan or strategy

In 2014 Humboldt County amended the Humboldt Bay segment of its Local Coastal Program (LCP). The changes primarily impact development in the Samoa Town Master Plan area. These changes include disclosures to residents and further analysis … for development approvals. For the broader region the plan includes sea level rise as part of its Tsunamis hazard requirements.